Sunday Service || Making Meaningful Friends || Pastor Joe Tarkon || City of David Atlanta

I am the good shepherd and I know my sheep and I'm known by my own. Listen, my friend. There is a friend that was still closer than a brother. His name is Jesus. His name is Jesus. When everybody runs away from you, when you have formally abandons you, there is a friend that will stand by you through thick and thin. In dark days, in bright days, in dark times, in good times, and in bad times, Jesus Christ will stand by you. If you don't have a friend, Jesus Christ is there. And even if you have a friend, get him in because he will enhance the beauty, the longevity, the stability, and the resourcefulness of your relationship. [02:00:14] (50 seconds)  #JesusIsFriend

Jesus knew all the weaknesses of Peter. He knew that Peter was going to deny him three times. Yet Jesus said, you are going to be my apostle. Are you listening to me? Some of us will eliminate people out of our lives because of some weaknesses in their lives. You have a friend who has a weakness. What does the bible say? A friend loves at all times. [01:42:35] (26 seconds)  #FriendsDespiteFlaws

Friendship does not thrive where you are always evaluated, judged, and criticized. Where people are always evaluating you. You have a friend, and your friend is always evaluating you, always analyzing you, psychoanalyzing you, criticizing you. No. No. No. No. No. Friendship cannot thrive in that kind of place. You've got to value people beyond their performance or their shortcoming. [01:39:42] (26 seconds)  #ValuePeopleNotPerformance

When you don't invest into your relationship, it will be neglected and it will fall apart. Time is a currency of friendship. Friendship only grows where investment flows. [01:51:26] (15 seconds)  #InvestInFriendship

If you are going to deepen your relationship with anybody, you must learn how to peel off the onions. You must learn how to be authentic. That's the word. You must learn how to tell full disclosure, self disclosure, gradual and steady appropriate disclosure. Please underline the word appropriate. There are some things you do not disclose too early in your relationship. In fact, even for life in your relationship. [01:26:57] (40 seconds)  #AuthenticSlowReveal

So the man was was living in fear and trepidation and depression and self condemnation. And Jesus say, hey, honey. I have a plan for your life. The fact that you failed me does not does not disqualify you for the purpose that I have for you. Do you understand what I'm saying? He said go and tell me and look for Peter also. [01:45:38] (23 seconds)  #FailureIsNotFinal

Because when people tell you their secrets, when people depend on you, the least you can do is to protect them at all times. I think somebody should say amen there. Amen. Because that one is rampant among some people in this church. Not everybody. Because you know something damaging about them. You use it in the day of disagreement, in the day of your weakness. Never do that. [01:33:12] (33 seconds)  #GuardTrustAlways

He's too perfect. The only examples he gives are bible examples. Because you say, let let me tell you something. I I'm gonna give you an illustration, and then he will quote another bible example. I said, no, sir. Tell us something about your life. Have you ever failed? I wanna hear that you failed and how you overcame your failure and survived as a Christian. So that for me, as a young growing Christian, I will know that when I fail, my failure is not final. [01:34:15] (28 seconds)  #ShareYourFailures